Remember When: Country Music Legend Reba McEntire Delivered a Stunning National Anthem Performance at Super Bowl LVIII

Last year, Reba McEntire opened Super Bowl LVIII with the national anthem. Her performance brought NFL stars to tears, raised goosebumps on the arms of countless viewers, and proved to everyone watching it that she was a force of nature.

Videos by American Songwriter

The video of the country legend and all-around entertainment icon has garnered more than three million views since last year. The highlights of the clip came when McEntire referred to the American flag in the song while pointing aggressively to the massive flag on the field. These actions underscored her belief that people’s focus should not be on her. Instead, she wanted them to remember why they were taking a moment to sing the song and what the flag stands for.

[RELATED: Reba McEntire Says She’s Honored to Sing the National Anthem at the Super Bowl, Reveals How She Prepared for the Performance]

Reba McEntire’s Long History with the National Anthem

Reba McEntire is no stranger to singing the national anthem. She discovered her vocal talent at a young age and started singing the anthem to open rodeos and other events when she was just a kid. In fact, Red Steagall discovered the young singer while she was singing the anthem at a championship rodeo in Oklahoma in 1974, 50 years before she took the field during Super Bowl LVIII.

While she had been singing the “Star Spangled Banner” for decades, doing it at the Super Bowl was still special for her. She opened up about it in a press conference ahead of last year’s big game. “It means a lot to me,” she said of the performance. “I am honored beyond words to be chosen to get to sing it. It means that I get to sing a very special song for all Americans and people all around the world who have really worked so hard for our freedom and to give us peace,” she added.

“It’s not about me,” she said. “I’m the representation of the song and I’m just honored to get to sing it. It’s a good one. I’ve been singing it for years,” McEntire quipped.

While she had been singing the song for most of her life, the country legend didn’t go into her Super Bowl performance cold. “I prepare by being prepared,” she said before explaining that she had been singing the song in the shower and the car for weeks ahead of Super Bowl Sunday.

Featured Image by Ethan Miller/Getty Images